Process for the extraction of lighter hydrocarbons from heavier hydrocarbons and especially of gasolene and another product from kerosene.



F. A. HOWARD. PROCESS FOR THE EXTRACTION 0F LIGHTER HYDROCARBONS FROM HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS AND ESPECIALLY OF GASOLENE AND ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM KEROSENE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-25,19I8.

1,284,687. Patented Nov. 12, 1918* 2022262 Guile? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS A. HOWARD, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

PROCESS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF LIGHTER HYDROCARBONS FROM EEAVIER HYDRO- CARBONS AND ESPECIALLY OF GASOLENE AND ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM KERO- SENE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 19 18.

,To all whom it may concern:

' modification of the heretofore known and adopted processes now in use with the object of extracting an appreciably greater percentage of the lighter hydrocarbons from the heavier hydrocarbons, these lighter hydrocarbons having certain specific gravities and limitations in their high and low boiling points such as those hydrocarbons used in internal combustion engines.

Before setting forth the exact operation involved in the ,art or process, I state that the only mechanism or apparatus required for this process is a still, using the word in the broad sense of including not only'the receptacle in which the hydrocarbons are first placed, but also the condenser and receiving tanks; and the process is valuable and an improvement on all heretofore known processes irrespective of the form of still used. The drawing attached hereto, embodying an arrangement capable of carrying out the process, shows a still with which the applicant has made numerous tests. In the drawing, Figure 1 shows a still and condenser adapted for carrying out my" invention; Fig. 2 is an Engler distilling bulb which may be used instead of the can shown in Fig. 1. The still, of course, must consist of a. boiler and place thereunder for producing the heat, a condenser connected by tubing with the boiler and a receptacle for receiving the distillate. Those things are all that are essential. In the diagram the boiler and the fire-'bed are two articles, the boiler being a can, and the apparatus for furnishing the heat a Bunsen burner, the condenser consists of a glass tube with a glass water jacket which is connected by a tube with the boiler, and the receptacle for receiving the distillate is a glass flask. When distilling in large quantities the boilers, condensers and weep-'- tacles for receiving the distillate should be, of course, in such form and of such material and with such capacity as is best suited for the extent of the work. Because of the custom which has arisen of calling the boiler alone a still, I use the word, stil'f, wherever hereinafter employed, in its narrower sense, meaning only the boiler or receptacle in which the heavier hydrocarbons and ordinary cold water are placed in the first instance in their original forms; that is, the boiler or receptacle marked A in the drawing. The Bunsen burner is marked B; the condenser is marked C D; the connecting tube is marked E, and the receptacle for receiving the distillate is marked F. This last mention-ed receptacle is hereinafter called the receiving tank, On numerous occasions, and also in analytical tests, the applicant has used an Engler flask, to take the place of ,A and E. And the act or series of acts to be performed upon the heavier hydrocarbons to be transformed into, or more accurately speaking to cause them to yield, the lighter hydrocarbons, are as folows:

P700ess.-I place in the still the. hydrocarbon from which it is intended to extract the lighter hydrocarbons and together with it I place a quantity of ordinary cold water equal in measurement to the quantity of the hydrocarbon. The combined equal volumes of the heavier hydrocarbon and ordinary cold water should not exceed 65 per centum of the capacity of the still. I use the word still here and wherever hereinafter employed, in its narrower sense, meaning only the receptacle in which the heavier hydrocarbon and ordinary cold water are placed in the first instance and in their original form." The hydrocarbon naturally will rest on top of the water in the still. I then apply suflicient heat to cause the lighter hydrocarbons and the water to begin vaporizing and pass into thecondenser, and thence pass on to the receiving tank; and I continue the application of the heat until all the water has thus passed into the receiving tank, immediatel after which I'remove the heat. The distillate is the lighter hydrocarbon desired. This distillate naturally rests now in the receiving tank on top of the water, and can be easily separated therefrom.

The foregoing statement of my process is as complete as is possible in describing its application to the heavier hydrocarbons in general. It is possible, however, to be more explicit in describing the process as applied to a. specific heavier hydrocarbon such as kerosene; and accordingly I submit the following description of my process as applied to the extraction of petroleum ether, petroleum naphtha, petroleum benzin, gasolene and a product, which I believe has not been heretofore discovered, from kerosene.

Proccss-1 place kerosene, having a Baum gravity of l2 to l9, in the still with an equal quantity by measurement of ordinary cold. water and I then apply the heat. When the temperature has reached about 55 (3., it will be seen that a vapor will begin to pass into the condenser and thence pass on to its receiving tank, where two elements will be seen, the water naturally going to the bottom of the receiving tank and the distillate resting on' top of the water. For convenience in distinguishing herein between the distillate hereinafter described and the aforesaid distillate from the kerosene originally employed I call this distillate Distillate No. l. The still is then emptied. I then take the residue of the kerosene used in the first operation, place it in the still and with it ordinary cold water in quantity equal in measurement to the residue; apply heat as in the immediately pre ceding operation and proceed with an operation which is exactly like said immediately preceding operation, and thus obtain another distillate from said residue which see ondly obtained distillate I have for convenience of description called Distillate No. 2. In both operations the best results are obtained by adhering to the two following conditions: First, when the temperature rises above 98 C. the application of heat should be instantly and immediately thereupon discontinued; second, the combined quantity of kerosene and cold water originally placed in the still for the first operation should not exceed 65 per centum of the capacity of the still; and, likewise, the combined quantity of the residue of the first operation joined with the cold water to be placed in the still for the second operation should not exceed 65 per centum of the capacity of the still, From 30 per centum to 60 per centum of the kerosene thus becomes commercial gasolene, sometimes called motor spirit and which blends with pure gasolene better than kerosene and is characterized by a Baum gravity of 53 and higl i and low boiling points, ranging from 50 C. to 185 C.

A series of operations like the foregoing, in which the residue of the preceding operation joined to an equal quantity, by measurement, of cold water is employed, may be ee seer had, but the resulting distillates are not of sufficient value to warrant such procedure. The still is then emptied after the second operation and I proceed as follows to obtain the best quality of gasolene. I place the said Distillate No. l and Distillate No. 2 in the still and apply the heat in the same manner as in the operations to obtain said distillates except that no water is em ployed. All the lighter hydrocarbons that shall vaporize and pass into the condenser up to and including a temperature of 150 0., is gasolene. The quantity of gasolene obtained from this operation varies from 25 per centum to 50 per centum of said combined distillates according to the quality of kerosene employed in the first operation herein described.

This gasolene must not be confounded with what is generally known as commercial gasolene, because it is a pure gasolene and at this boiling point not blended with kerosene. Then the distillate obtained from a boiling point above 150 C. to the end of distillation I call kerolene and consider it a new product which can be blended with pure gasolene more successfully than the blending of gasolene and kerosene,

The residue of kerosene left after extracting Distillate No. 1 and Distillate No. 2, is not impaired to such a degree as tov lose or even reduce its commercial value as kerosene.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by 100 Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The process of extracting lighter hydrocarbons from relatively heavier hydrocarbons, which consists in placing equal volumes of heavier hydrocarbons and ordinary cold water in a still in volume not exceeding 65 per centum of the capacity of tile still; applying heat thereto so that the temperature of the vaporized contents of the still will not exceed 98 (1, from which distillates are obtained; which distillates are said relatively lighter hydrocarbons.

2. The process of extracting lighter hydrocarbons from relatively heavier hydrocarbons which consists in placing equal volumes of heavier hydrocarbons and ordinary cold water in a still; applying heat thereto so that the temperature of the vaporized contents of the still will not exceed 98 C, from which distillates are obtained; which distillates are said relatively lighter hydrocarbons.

3. The process of extracting gasolene and another product from kerosene, which process consists in placing equal volumes of kerosene and ordinary cold water in a still, to an aggregate volume not exceeding 65 per centum of the capacity of the still, applying heat thereto so that the temperature of the vaporized contents of the still will not exceed 98 0., from which a distillate is obtained; and then adding to the residue of the kerosene which will remain an equal volume of ordinary cold Water, placing said residue and cold Water in a still in aggregate volume not exceeding 65 per centum of the capacity of the still, applying heat thereto so that the temperature of the vaporized contents of the still will notexceed 98 (1., from Which an additional quantity of distillate is obtained; then mingling the distillates obtained by said two operations and fractionally redistilling the mixture Without the use of water, Withdrawing the distillates obtained by such redistillation at the temperature of and Water in a still that neither the hydrocarbon nor the Water alone will be less than 45 per centum of the combined volumes of both; applying heat thereto so that the temperature of the vaporized contents of the still will not exceed 105? C., from which a distillate is obtained.

' In testimony whereof Ivaflix my signature.

FRANCIS A. HOWARD. 

